1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing equipment, and more particularly to a grip for fishing equipment which has germicidal properties.
2. Related Art
People who engage in fishing as a leisure activity often use a number of different types of fishing equipment during their outings. For example, they may carry a bait box for storing fishing bait, a cooler for storing the fish that they catch, a hand-held fishing net, and an equipment box in which they store line, weights, lures and the like. Of course, all of these items are usually carried by means of a handle their outer surface. Likewise, fishing rods used for boat fishing or salt water fishing typically include a grip formed above or below the reel seat.
Generally speaking, these types of grips are formed from natural cork or a synthetic resin such as urethane rubber, EVA, soft vinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene or the like. These types of grips are molded as a separate unit and fitted around the main body of the equipment in question, or molded together with the main body of the equipment as an integrated unit.
This type of fishing equipment is often used on boats or on the shore, where the humidity is often high. In these environments, the fishing equipment is often handled by persons with hands soiled by bait, fish, or other organic matter, and thus the equipment often becomes malodorous due to the propagation of bacteria or fungus. In order to prevent this, it is conceivable to spray a germicide onto the grip before or after use. However, since the fishing equipment is generally washed with water after use, the germicide is also washed off, thus negating the effect of these sprays.